In this piece, we will take a look at the 15 countries that produce the most corn. For more countries, head on over to 5 Countries That Produce the Most Corn.
Corn, or maize, is one of the most popular crops in the world. It is also one of the oldest known cultivated crops, which traces its history back to what is now Mexico in 8,000 BC, some 3,000 odd years after agriculture cultivation began in the Middle East and allowed humanity to settle down in populations at riverbanks and start to reproduce and grow.
The corn industry is at the forefront of employing technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT). For instance, sensors from CropX Technologies allow farmers to study the amount of moisture in the soil, which then enables the formulation of better agriculture systems. Apart from this, sensors are also used to study light, wind, rain, and other farming conditions, with researchers also evaluating the role of drones in aggregating this data for better use. The Italian firm New Holland Agriculture is supplying self driving tractors to farmers, which help them reduce labor costs. Additionally, GPS has been a long part of tractors manufactured by the American firm Deere & Company (NYSE:DE), enabling farmers to work in tricky environments and keep track of their equipment. Other renowned players in the agricultural technology and corn industries are Ingredion Inc (NYSE:INGR), Bunge Ltd (NYSE:BG), Bayer (OTCMKTS::BAYR.Y), Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM), and Corteva Agriscience (NYSE:CTVA).
The global corn market itself produced 1,177 million metric tons of the crop in 2021, and is expected to grow at a compounded growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3% between 2022 and 2027 to sit at an estimated production tonnage of 1,604 million metric tons by the end of the forecast period according to research from Procurement Resource. The research firm believes that this growth will be driven by the industrial use of corn in areas such as pharmaceuticals, personal care, paper, and sweeteners. Additionally, corn is also thought to be a major contributor to the green revolution, as it can replace petroleum based plastic bags that are among the largest sources of pollution globally.
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Our Methodology
We used data (FAO.Crops and livestock products. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Extracted from: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL. Date of access: 13/12/2022) from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to compile this list. The data lists down corn production from countries as of 2020.
Countries That Produce the Most Corn
15. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 10 million
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, or Ethiopia, is a landlocked African country that is also one of the most populous regions on the continent. The country’s economy is worth $345 billion with a low GDP per capita of $3,407. Agriculture is the dominant sector, employing more than half of the population and a 35.5% share of the economy in 2020. Ethiopia produces coffee, potatoes, sugarcane, and oil seeds. Its corn production is 10 million tons as of 2020.
14. Romania
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 10.9 million
Romania is a central European country with a $731 billion economy and a GDP per capita of $38,097. The country holds more than 14 million hectares of agricultural land out of which 10 million can be used to grow crops. It produces a wide variety of agricultural products such as corn, wheat, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, watermelon, and barley. As of 2020, Romania had produced 10.9 million tons of corn, and the country was forced to stop producing genetically modified crops in 2017 after it entered the European Union, where major players like Ingredion Inc (NYSE:INGR), Bunge Ltd (NYSE:BG), Bayer (OTCMKTS::BAYR.Y), Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM), and Corteva Agriscience (NYSE:CTVA) are competing.
13. Federal Republic of Nigeria
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 12 million
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is an African country that is one of the most prosperous countries on the continent. However, it consistently ranks low on human development, transportation, and infrastructure. Its economy is the largest in Africa, and was worth $1.3 trillion in 2022, with a GDP per capita of $5,853. Like other developing countries, Nigeria’s economy derives a large portion of its value from agriculture. The country is the world’s largest producer of cassava, yarn, taro, and cowpea. It also produces other products such as tomatoes, peanuts, ginger, and palm oil. Nigeria’s corn production stood at 12 million tons in 2020.
12. French Republic
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 13.4 million
The French Republic, or France, is one of the most powerful nations in the world and one that has been playing a central role in global politics for more than a century. The French economy is worth $3.6 trillion making it the tenth largest in the world. It is known for agricultural products such as wheat, poultry, beef, and pork. Additionally, as of 2021, France was also the world’s sixth largest exporter of agricultural products. As of 2020, the country had produced 13.4 million tons of corn, and half of its land mass is farmland.
11. Canada
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 13.6 million
Canada is a North American country that shares its only border with the United States. It is one of the world’s largest countries in terms of land mass, and the 15th largest GDP in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). Canada’s GDP per capita is $57,827, and the U.S. is its largest trading partner accounting for more than half of Canadian exports. It has a vibrant agricultural sector, consisting of grains, livestock, dairy, poultry, and eggs. Some products include dry pea, lentils, soy, oats, beans, rye, onion, and cabbage. Canada produced 13.6 million tons of corn in 2020.
10. Russian Federation
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 13.9 million
The Russian Federation is the world’s largest country in terms of landmass and also one of the largest fossil fuel and arms exporters. The Russian economy is worth $4.6 trillion with a $31,967 GDP per capita. Its agriculture industry contributed 5% to the world’s GDP in 2021, and owning to its mass, Russia is also the world’s third largest cultivated area of land. The country was the world’s largest wheat exporter in 2020, and it is home to a large fishing industry as well due to access to 12 seas and a coastline with three oceans. Russia produced 13.9 million tons of corn in 2020. Russian’s invasion of Ukraine is causing the world to prepare for a potential food shortage and major companies like Ingredion Inc (NYSE:INGR), Bunge Ltd (NYSE:BG), Bayer (OTCMKTS::BAYR.Y), Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM), and Corteva Agriscience (NYSE:CTVA) are set to face the reverberations of the effects of this war.
9. Republic of South Africa (RSA)
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 15.3 million
The Republic of South Africa (RSA), or South Africa, is the third largest economy in Africa with a GDP of $435 billion and a GDP per capita of $20,573. It is one of the most developed economies in Africa and the only African member of G20. Additionally, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is the largest exchange on the African continent. While agriculture accounts for a small portion of the South African economy, the country nevertheless produces several products such as grape fruits, cereals, sisal, soybeans, and sun flower seeds. South Africa is also one of the world’s largest producers of sugar cane, but ranks higher in the list of corn producing countries, through an output of 15.3 million tons in 2020.
8. Republic of Indonesia
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 22.2 million
The Republic of Indonesia is a South East Asian country that is home to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world. The Indonesian economy was worth $4 trillion in 2022, making it the seventh largest in the world. The strength of the Indonesian economy can be gauged through the fact that the country underwent its first recession in 2019 since 1997 – and that too because of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly as tourism was one of the hardest hit sectors. The pandemic also affected major companies like Ingredion Inc (NYSE:INGR), Bunge Ltd (NYSE:BG), Bayer (OTCMKTS::BAYR.Y), Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM), and Corteva Agriscience (NYSE:CTVA).
The Republic of Indonesia produces rice, fruits, vegetables, and palm oil. The Republic of Indonesia’s corn production stood at 22.2 million tons in 2020.
7. United Mexican States
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 27.4 million
The United Mexican States is a North American country that enjoys a long border with the United States of America. Mexico is thought to be the cradle of modern day agriculture, with the Mesoamericans having started the cultivation of plants such as cotton, avocado, and corn. 15% of Mexican land is dedicated to agriculture, and the country produces sugarcane, tomatoes, wheat, peppers, and coffee. Livestock also forms a large chunk of the Mexican agricultural sector, through products such as beef and milk. As of 2020, Mexico’s corn production stood at 27.4 million tons.
6. Republic of India
Tons of Corn Produced in 2020: 30 million
The Republic of India is the second most populous nation in the world and has the third largest GDP with a value of $11 trillion in terms of purchasing power parity. It produces products such as rice, milk, wheat, cotton, maize, tomatoes, okra, and onions. Agriculture is one of the largest sectors of the Indian economy and has also seen painful controversies such as mass farmer suicides spanning generations due to high debt alongside a poor road infrastructure that makes shipping agricultural products difficult. India produced 30 million tons of corn in 2020.
As major corn and agriculture companies like Ingredion Inc (NYSE:INGR), Bunge Ltd (NYSE:BG), Bayer (OTCMKTS::BAYR.Y), Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM), and Corteva Agriscience (NYSE:CTVA) come up with new technologies, Indian corn producers are also trying to catch up with new advancements in the industry.
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Disclosure: None. 15 Countries That Produce the Most Corn is originally published on Insider Monkey.